


A Friend to Get By

by MellyMiraculous (randomelity)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Butterfly Miraculous, Future AU, Gen, Oneshot, Papillon is defeated, Season 2 spoilers, he deserves all the good gdi, nooroo needs someone to take care of him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 05:22:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13850967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomelity/pseuds/MellyMiraculous
Summary: After the defeat of Le Papillon, Nathaniel finds himself entrusted with a very important task.





	A Friend to Get By

**Author's Note:**

> _Listen. Nooroo has all my love. I have got so many feels for this little kwami bug - I need everything to turn out okay for him, daggonit. Also, Nathaniel is a wonderful, lovely child who needs more appreciation always._

Surprisingly little had changed with the defeat of Le Papillon and the end of his reign of terror against Paris. Gabriel Agreste would be in prison for the foreseeable future, paying for his crimes. Even so, the superheroes who had risen over the years remained, still committed to keeping the city and its citizens safe.

Nathaniel felt bad for his old classmate. They hadn't been terribly close, but he had liked Adrien. The boy was kind and funny. It was a shame his father turned out to be a bad guy. From what Nathaniel had been able to tell, however, Adrien was not taking the news as hard as he could have. He imagined the blond's close circle of friends helped.

It was late as he returned home that night. He paused on his way up to his room to peek in on his mother. She was out, sprawled diagonally across her bed as she slept. She'd been working hard, especially since he had started university. Smiling fondly, Nathaniel closed the door again and let her rest.

Climbing the narrow staircase, the young man opened the door into the cramped space that had long been his own. His bed, piled high with pillows and blankets, was accessible by ladder, its frame held aloft to allow room for his desk underneath it. A corner of the space was devoted to his laptop, whereas the remaining surface was cluttered with textbooks, comics, and art supplies. The walls were covered in posters and drawings, the latter mostly his own, leaving very little of the plaster to be seen.

Nathaniel liked his room. It was his sanctuary. He was going to miss it when he eventually moved out.

He dropped his bag down on the floor next to his chair before plopping down into the seat. There were a couple of assignments he needed to finish by that weekend, so he decided to get to work. It was only then that he realized his desk was not exactly how he left it. More specifically, something had been left on his computer – a box with a note.

With a frown, Nathaniel picked up the small box for closer inspection, noting its hexagonal shape and the intricate designs in its wooden surface. Setting it down again, he turned his attention to the note, opening it up to read.

“ _He is going to need a friend for a while. We all discussed it and we know you will treat him well.”_ It was signed with symbols rather than names; a ladybug, paw print, turtle shell, fox tail, and a bee. Paris' heroes? Why would they be leaving things in his room? Who was 'he'?

His gaze flicked back to the box. Reaching out a hand, he picked it up again, turning it over between his palms. It offered no useful hints as to its contents. Perhaps, if he wasn't already tired, he wouldn't have needed any. In any case, the next step was simple. He opened the box.

Nathaniel stared at the brooch inside for all of three seconds before being startled by a purplish light emerging from its center. He raised an arm to shield his eyes, squinting as he watched the light coalesce into a shining orb before dissolving to reveal a – well, Nathaniel wasn't sure what it was. Some sort of small, lavender-colored creature.

He watched as it darted around a bit, seemingly fearful and wary, its wings fluttering behind it. “Um... hello?” he addressed it uncertainly. It darted towards his face and he leaned back reflexively. Nathaniel peered back with interest as it studied him for a long moment before backing away a bit.

“Oh,” it said in a soft, low voice, wringing its paws together nervously. “A new master.”

“What?” Nathaniel murmured, looking between the creature and the brooch – the latter of which had changed so that it looked like a round purple gem, now.

“Because you hold the Miraculous, now,” it said, seeming rather hesitant. “So... so, Nooroo will serve however his new Master wishes.”

“No,” said the young man, continuing at the creature's confused expression, “don't call me that. I'm Nathaniel. Just Nathaniel. And you're Nooroo, you said?”

“Yes, Ma- I mean, yes, Nathaniel,” Nooroo replied, little head bowed.

“Okay. Right. So... I'm sorry, but what are you exactly?”

“I am a kwami, the one bound to the Butterfly Miraculous,” the kwami explained, slipping into lecture mode. “I will grant you pow-”

 _Butterfly?_ “Wait. You're the one who gave Papillon the ability to make supervillains!” Nathaniel exclaimed.

“I didn't want to!” Nooroo protested earnestly. “He forced me to help him do evil. He possessed the Miraculous – I had to obey him!”

The red-head made a soothing motion with his hands. “Whoa! Easy. It's okay. It's okay, I'm not blaming you,” he reassured. “It's just... I had no idea. I didn't even consider...” He'd known, at least in theory, about the Miraculous. Papillon had seen to it that the public would be aware in his quest for them. The young man had just had no idea that there were magical beings attached to them.

And this was the one used to turn nearly everyone he knew and so many others into supervillains over the years. All the pain, all the hurt, all of it was because Papillon had control of this little being.

It must have been so awful.

“Now that you hold the Butterfly Miraculous,” Nooroo started again timidly, “you're the one I will grant-”

“No,” Nathaniel interrupted again. “What I mean is, you don't have to do anything for me. That's not why your Miraculous was given to me.”

Nooroo blinked, at a loss. “Then, why...” He didn't even know what question to ask this new human.

“You've already been through a lot these past few years,” Nathaniel said kindly. “More than anyone deserves. So, I'm just going to be your friend, okay? Until you feel safe again. And after that, too.” He held out a hand in invitation, waiting patiently.

The kwami peered at the young man, gauging the sincerity of his words and expression. Tears formed in his violet eyes. Hesitating but another moment, he fluttered forward, alighting on his new chosen's palm. For the first time in years, Nooroo started to feel that maybe things would be alright again, after all.

Mustering up a small smile, he gazed up into Nathaniel's turquoise eyes. “I'd really like that,” he said softly.

Nathaniel knew that he would, too.

 


End file.
